Seybold Launches Major PDF Usage Survey

Tuesday, June 18, 2002

Press release from the issuing company

Comprehensive study will explore practical use of PDF in print production
Los Angeles, Calif., June 17, 2002 - Seybold Publications and Seybold Seminars, divisions of Key3Media Group Inc. (NYSE: KME), today began a comprehensive online survey aimed at users of Adobe Systems' Portable Document Format (PDF). Participants will include those who generate PDF files, such as designers and publishers, as well as those who receive and process PDFs, including prepress companies and printers. The survey will get to the bottom of how well PDF software tools work in the entire document chain.
"Our survey results will enable vendors, educators, users, and industry observers to gain required data about the use of various PDF file formats and tools," said Hans Hartman, co-chair of the Seybold PDF Conference. "In addition, we're eager to identify work procedures and users' perspectives on how they will implement PDF in the future." Seybold representatives believe the survey results will reveal significant industry figures, including; the use of PDF in conjunction with native file formats, the use of specific tools to create or fix PDFs, and the expected adoption of the PDF/X and JDF formats.
The survey will be conducted online, between June 17 and July 19. Those interested in participating may do so at: http://www.decipherinc.com/temp/k3m/r.php?pr.
The survey results will be made public during the PDF Summit, at the Seybold PDF Conference in San Francisco, on September 10. The results of a competitive PDF Workflow Shootout, now being conducted by Seybold Publications, will also be announced at the event. The Shootout will measure how different workflow systems can create viable, press-ready PDFs from problematic application files. A special report, detailing both the survey and shootout findings, will be published and made available at the conference.
"Seybold Seminars has always been the place where standards are proposed, debated and refined," said Gene Gable, president Seybold Seminars and Publications. "Our commitment and investment in this PDF research and shootout demonstrates our advocacy for open, usable standards that deliver the highest-quality results for the industry."
For more information about Seybold Seminars, visit www.seyboldseminars.com. To register as media for the event contact Dervla O'Reilly at dervla.o'reilly@key3media.com. For more information about the creators of the survey contact John Parsons at john.parsons@key3media.com and Hans Harman at hans@suite48.com.
About Seybold Seminars
Seybold Report is a newsletter analyzing publishing technologies. Seybold Seminars is the leading brand educating the publishing, graphic arts, Web, entertainment and general business industries on how to implement technology for effective and profitable content creation, management and delivery. With a 30-year history focused on top-notch education, in-depth technology discussion and marketplace analysis, Seybold Seminars has become the premier gathering place for buyers, sellers and strategists who share the common goal of effective and profitable communications across multiple media. Focusing on the common challenges of print, Web, video and other forms of media technology, Seybold Seminars highlights the latest in graphic arts production tools, design and information architecture strategies, digital rights and asset management, marketing personalization and on-demand publishing opportunities.